Pump mechanism



Jan. 19 1926.

J. M. LEA

PUMP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 27, 1923 2 Sh eets-She et 1 mani anomtoz sz za v Jan. 19,1926. 1,570,381

. J. M. .LEA

P 111? MECHANISM I Filed Jan. 27,1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan.19,192 6 i 1,570,381 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE;

' JOHN 11:. LEA, or n 'rnoIT, n lcmsn,

rum uncmmsu.

Application filed January 21, 1923. Serial No. 815,411.

To all whom it may concern:' Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a support- Be it known that I, JOHN M. LEA, a citiing yoke. I zen of the United States of America, and F ig. 8 is a detail vertical section on line a resident of Detroit, county of Wayne, and 88 of Fig. 2. State of Michigan, have invented certain Figs. 9 and 10 are views in plan and cen- 60 new and useful Improvements in Pump tral section respectively showing the con- Mechanism, of which the following is a struction of a valve forming a part of the full, clear, concise, and exact description, invention. I v V such as will enable others skilled in the art Fig.- 11 is a diagram of the wiring sys- 10 to which the invention relates to make and tem'.

' use the same, reference being made therein 7 Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates to the accompanying drawings, which form an internal, combustion engine, which may ,mitflpart of this specification. beof any suitable type, comprising a car'- TlFinventionJelates to pumping sysbureter 11 to which liquid fuel is to be tems and more especiallyto those of the supplied from the tank 12 which isor which 70 type embodying electromagnetic actuating may, at times, located at a lower levelthan -means. WVhile in many respects of more the carbureter. The carbureter comprises generic applioatiomthe invention is of para fuel reservoir the inlet to which is coliticular utility in'connection with, and will trolled-by. a float valve 11. These parts be herein described and illustrated as apmay be the usual parts of the power plant 7 plied to, a fuel supply'system for use with of anautomobile in which case the tank the'internal combustion engine of a motor is preferably mounted upon the chassis, vehicle power plant. 7 The pump, with which my'inventio'n i's' The principal object of the invention is more especially concerned, may be mounted to improve the construction and ogeratieratweenvenient point and is shown as V of liquid supply mecha m more es-' supported by attachment to the casing of pecia'lly o f su ec anism as applied to the. carbureter itself and connected to the the-feeding of li uid'igfl at; approximately tank, 12 tubing 13'. The pump mecha-' mumgzisljre from a ta cservoir hism may be enclosed within acasin'g formed 1 to a carbure like fuel utilizing 'dev'ce. by abase or headl and a cup 15, the base To this end, the mve'ntion comprises eleceing provided with suitable means for tromagnetic actuating-means,farting upon atta hment to pipe connections. If desired,

a liquid pumpingdevicepreferably of the a fitting 16 comprising an air cushion bellows type, together with specififidetails chamber may be connected to the pump on 35 0f the circuit-controlling 11183118, the" the delivery ide in rder to mqdgrate the g Q pr c ing p the S110- u'lsations in pressure in thedelivery pastion and valve mechanism, and other feasa 1 ,tur as hereinafbef more 5 h ead 141s provided with a central 7 scribed and particularly pointed out 111 the passage" unnamed to ridrm th 40 appended claims. 1 1111 $110111 19 and h 'el'nallyl screw; 9

In the accompanying drawings illustrat--, threaded to re th 5 20; A i l t ing one embodiment of the invention, passage 21 m eating with the' cen-' Fig. 1 "is a side elevation of an engine tral bore 18 extends -la ll t th i hand a fuel supply system. in which the in cry of the, head and rec 'v'esat its, outer 'ention is utilized. end a pipe fitting 22 adap for attachig. 2 is a top plan view of the pump' ment tothe supply p1 pe 13 cos 0 d o mted parts; i passage 23 eommumcatmg with a 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 side of the headextands to a reces 4 in of Ifig; 1 the peri hery 'which is screw threade t 59 ,Flg- 4 a horizontal section on line H receive t e pi e fitting 25 adapted for co of Eig. 3. a nection to a evice to receive the fluid deg 5 3 6 are detail horizontal secliver-ed. g 7 t1 ons on fid 6 -6 respectively -Within the recess'24 is mounted a valve 1 of Fig. 4, F15, ing upon -}ai'1f-' 'ei1lnrged device comprising-a sleeve26' having an outscale. r wardly directed annular flange 27 at one end,

and an inwardly directed flange 28 at the other. The flange 27 is clamped by fitting 25 against the base of recess 24. Upon the inner face of flange 28 is seated a flat ring 29 of resilient material having a tongue 30 extending radially inward. To the free end of the tongue is secured, as by rivet 31, the disk 32 which seats against the outer face of flange 28 under the spring effect of ring 29 and tongue 30 and normally closes the aperture through the sleeve 26, the latter serving as a valve casing. Since both the ring 29 and tongue 30 are resilient, the flexing necessary to permit opening of the disk valve member 32 takes place not only in the tongue but also in the ring itself, thus distributing the strain and enhancing the life of the spring aswell as permitting a wider opening of the valve without undue were the tongue alone resilient.

The materials of the valve parts will be dependent, of course, upon the nature of the liquid to be handled. In adapting the device for conveying hydrocarbon fluid, as gasoline, I prefer to make the spring ring and tongue of phosphor bronze and the disk valve of Monel metal.

The valve described is of particular advantage in mechanism such as that herein disclosed inasmuch as the moving parts may be made of extreme lightness for the capacity attained, thereby reducing the inertia and permiting very quick action. The structure is also of extraordinary simplicity. and easy of manufacture and assembly. Ac-

curate fitting is unnecessary since the-spring ring merely lies loosely within the cyl1ndrical wall of the valve casing, whilethe salt? disk, seating against the flat outer face of the flange or casing, fits tightly without re qu r ng accurate positioning or careful mm chinmg, each part locating andholding the 45 other in proper position. The customary valve stem and, guide, common to other spring-controlled valves, are eliminated and; greater reliability against sticking is th by {attained pen the shoulder lgat the lo; n the centraLbore 18 is seaetzfa iii; 1 ,2 3: orcup 34 having at its lower end an in wardly ,extendmg l jiular flange 35 correspondmg to h flange 28 of the valve casmg PYn the flange 35 is mounted a downwardly opening inlet valve 36 which, except 9 the dimensions of the casing, may d fitical with the valve already dejed and shown in Figs. 9 and ID. The Q i'sing 34 is made of considerable length in a order to extend downwardly into the pump chamber sufficiently to submerge the valve 36 in liquid in the pum chamber and to provide, together with .t e space within the cap 20, a'suction or supply'chamber 37 the. upper POItlOIl- Of which will normally conflexure of the tongue than would be possible tain air. A cylindrical screen 38 is mounted within the suction chamber through which" liquid entering the chamber must pass to reach the inlet valve 36. The casing 34 may be provided with an annular ledge 341 upon which the lower end of the screen is seated. The screen may be open at bothen-ds since the liquid in chamber 37 does not rise above the upper end of the screen.

Gaskets 90, 91, are located respectively at the lower end of cap 20 and under the shoulder 201 thereof and the dimensions of the parts are such that when the cap has been turned down to seat upon gasket 91 it will also compress gasket and firmly 80 secure and seal the upper end of valve casing 34. Openings 92 are formed in the lower edge of the cap to admit liquid from the supply passage 21.

In the embodiment of the invention described the pump chamber is constituted preferably by the interior of a bellows 40 of the type comprising a resilient metallic member with circumferentially corrugated side walls secured at the upper'or fixed end 99 .to the head 14 and with a movable end wall '41. As is well known with this type of device the axial movement of the end wall permitted by the flexibility of the corrugated side walls causes relative expansion and contraction of the enclosed space. Thei efore, by utilization of suitable means to produce reciprocation of the end wall, liquid may be drawn into the chamber through valve36- during the expanding movement and ex- 100 pelled through valve 32 during the contracting movement. -It wilLbe understood that the bellowstype of pumpchamber is not may be'replaced in some gasesbffier usual or desired fOI'mS.""*-" In QQCOI'QQHCG Wl bh the present invention I f p e electromagnetic means for fifi be expanding or suction stroke of mows 40, this means comprising a coil 45, surrounding a core 46,. and an armature 47. The core is fixeclto a plate 48' of non-' magnetic material and the plate is rigidly/ supported upon the head 14, as by posts 49. 50, 51. The lower ends of the posts are reduced as shown to provide shoulders against which the plate is clamped as bv screws 52. Between the plate48 and the shoulders of posts 49, 51, is secured a yok 53 which serves as a support for the ala ture 47. The lower arm of the yoke i proximately lune-shaped, as slurwn 5 t i Figs. 4 and 7, and is provided ad t t6 its. extremities with apertures fijtf Over the reduced ends of posts 49, 51 1- arm is constituted by' a lelf' ti l narrow strip or tongue 54 bent ove to lie in a plane to the Iowa 711. In the simplest orm 0f bearing the lfiwer arm is provided with W0 recesses l aperture in. which all-aspects-ef thekinventim are seatedballs 56. The armature -17 is formed with recesses 57 in its lower face,

corresponding in [position to the recesses in the plate 48, and in which the balls 56 engage. Another recess 58 is formed in the upper face of the armature, midwayof the the ball 59 providing at-hird. anti-friction bearing for the upper face of the armature.

Any movement of the armature other than an oscillatory movement about the commonv axis of the balls 56 is bearings.

The armature is (if magnetic material and is shown as of disk form and circular except for a cut-away portion 471 on one. side to accommodate the contacts and associated parts. The posts 49, 51, pass through apertures in the armature, as indicated at 472, but do not contact there-with. Spaces 481 prevented by the a in the edge of plate 48 permit-circulation of air by movement of the armature The periphery of the armature lies closley adjacent to the casing or cup 15 in order to reduce the air gap as much as practicable, since thecasing provides the external magnetic circuit between the armature and the lower end of the core. The bearings described are therefore of especial advantage not only in providing a'simple and inexpensive anti-friction support but also in insuring the maintenance of the armature properly positioned and spacedrelatively to the casing, thus maintaining the air gap at the periphery notwithstanding the tendency to displacement of the armature that may result from unbalanced magnetic stresses.

The means for connecting the armature 47 to the bellows 40 comprises a stud riveted as shown or otherwise suitablyv secured to theend wall 41, theouter end of the stud being screw-threaded and extending through an opening 61 in the armature. Mounted upon the stud 60 is an internally threaded I sleeve 62 of non-magnetic material. as brass,

. fits somewhat loosely around sleeve 62 and between. abutment 621 and the bellows so the upper end of which extends within the opening 61 and is provided with an annular shoulder 621 engaging the lower face of the armature and serving as an abutment whereby downward motion of the armature is transmitted to the bellows. The armature that, rectilinear movement of the bello an 70 of magnetic material.

connected parts may be permitted notwithstandingthe pivotal actuating movement of the armature. Raised bearings 473 may be formed on the armature to permit rocking movement.

The lower end of sleeve nut 62 is enlarged to form a head 622 serving as a stop for the ring 70 as hereafter deIJcribed and the sleeve is locked in adjusted position on stud 60 by screw 63. i

Upon a suitable support below the armature or upon the lower face of the armature itself, as shown, is secured, as by rivets 64, a contactor spring A portion of the spring is cut away at 66 to increase its flexi bility near the fixed end. end of the spring is mounted the contact 67 in position toengage a second contact 68 upon a post 69 supported by-but insulated from the plate 48. The post 69 is also connected electrically to one terminal of coil To the central portion of the spring, which is itself of non-magnetic material, such as phosphor bronze, is secured a body This body may be of annular form to surround the sleeve nut 62 above the stop collar or head 622, the latter serving to limit the downward morementof the ring 70 and the spring. The

central portion of the spring may be spaced slightly from the armatureto eliminate the sticking effect,of residual magnetism when the electromagnet is de-energized, and a small cushion spring 71 for the 'sole purpose of noise reduction may be interposed between the armature and the spring adjacent to the free end of the latter. The ring 7 0 may be arranged to telescope within the upper end of core 46, as shown, or by someequivalent construction may be so mounted that axial movement of the magnetic body will not materially vary the length of the air gap between the ring and the core The position of the ring relatively to the armature, however, is such that the air gap between the ring and armature may Vary. As a result of this arrangement of parts the ring is attracted to the armature upon the passageof current through the coil, thereby tending to flex the spring 65 upwardly and maintaining the electrical contact under pressure during a great portion of the stroke.

Tie bellows member 40 may be initially so se as to oppose the expanding-force and thereby tend to expel the liquid or it may be so set as to be initially under compression thus assisting in overcoming the inertia effect in the bellows member.- In the latter case it is necessary, and in the first case preferable, to use an additional spring such as coil spring 7 4 which-may be housed within a central bore 75 in the core 46. The upper end of'thespring may engage the head 22 on the sleeve uut- 62 while the lower end is supported upon the screw plug 76 adjustably mounted in the internally plug in adjusted position and to retain the net.

cup or casing member 15.

Energy required for actuation of the electromagnet may be supplied from any suitable source. When employed, as illustrated, in connection with a motor vehicle power plant, the usual storage battery 80 may be utilized, the wiring being preferably such that current will be supplied to the pump u on closing the ignition switch 81 'contro ling supply of energy to the spark plugs 82. From the ignition circuit a wire 83 is connected by post 50, insulated from head 14 and plate 48, to one terminal of coil 45, the other terminal 452 of which is connected through post 69, contacts 68, 67 spring 65 and armature 47 to ground. A condenser 84,v the purpose of which iswell known, is inserted between post 69 and ground in parallel with the contacts,

The operation of the pump is. as follows I The combined effect of the bellows and resilient bellows-contracting means employed, as spring 74,.is such as to maintain normally the contacts 67 68, in engagement when the electromagnet is not energized. When, however, current is caused to flow through the coil 45, as by closin the ignition switch 81,) a magnetic fiel is established, the lines of force of which pass through armature 47 and magnetic body or ring 70. The ring 70, as above explained, is attracted initially to the armature thus tending to bend the intermediate or thick portion of. the contact spring 65. upwardly and retainingthe contact 67 in engagement with contact 68' during a predetermined movement of the armature toward the mag- As the armature is attractedito the core it will move toward'the latter carrying with it the movable wall 41 of the bellows and producing thus the suction stroke of the pump, at the same ti e compressing the spring 74. The relative positions of the parts at this time are as shown in Fig. 5. This movement continues until it is sufficient to counteract the flexing effect upon the spring caused by the magnetization of r' 40-whereupon the armature will cause positive separation. of'the contacts.

The resulting interruption of ma etic attractionpermits spring 65 to trave with a snap action to its lower position into engagement with the stop collar 622 the strength of which action is controlled by the thin or cut-away portion of the spring 65. During the time that spring 65 is under heavy stress by the action of the bellows and spring 74, this weak ortion of the 5 ring 65 is out of action an protected by t e fact that it lies along the under side of the armature to which it is attached, the heav stress being in the heavy portion only. T e s ring 65 has suflicient rigidity to maintain t e air gap as required between the member 70 and the core 46.

Assuming that the pump chamber was already filled with liquid at the beginning of the suction stroke, the expansion of the chamber will be accompanied by the discharge into the chamber through valve; 36 of a (portion, of the column of liquid containe in the inlet passage or in the suction or supply chamber 37. When the pump is in operation the chamber 37 will contain in its upper ortion a quantity of air under subatmosp eric pressure. This permits the closure of the valve after the discharge into the pump chamber of a portion of the liquid accumulated in the valve casing or cup 34 without sudden stopping of the entire column of liquid flowing from the tank and also, by suction after the closure of the valve 36, causes the continuance of flow of cup. The suction chamber therefore enables a very quick suction stroke to be effected with great economy in "electrical energy. The large area of opening of valve 36 and its lightness as well as its submergence in the liquid in the ump chamber also contribute to quick and eflicient charging stroke.

Upon the separation of contacts 67 68, the pump chamber becomes simply a spring actuated reservoir tending to discharge its contents within predetermined limits of pressure through outletvalve 32. The frequency of the suctionl strokes will depend, of course, upon the rate of utilization of the liquid and, when the pump is employed to supply liquid to a reservoir, as for example to a carbureter, constant level reservoir or float chamber, the repetition of the suction strokes will be under the control of the valve permitting entrance of liquid to such reservoir.

If the fluctuation of pressure upon the delivery system is objectionable, any usual form of air cushion or like equivalent means may be employed in the delivery line, but the strokes can be delivered with such rapidity that the capacity of each stroke can be made so small that it is usually unnecessary to use such means in feeding fuel to the float bowl of an ordinary type of carbureter. The capacity of delivery may be somewhat increased, however, particularly when delivering through a small orifice, by itsuse. It will be understood that the structural features herein described may be varied and modified in many respects without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and therefore I do not desire to be restricted by reason of the illustrative embodiment above set forth except as required by.

the language of the appended claims in view of the prior art. 1

I claim: 1. In liquid pumping mechanism, the

combination of an expansible chamber having a movable member, a .valve controlling flow into said chamber, a supply chamber positioned to discharge liquid through said valve into said expansible chamber, and a supply conduit communicating with said ranged to contain a body of gas under sub.

supply chamber, said supply chamber aratmospheric pressure whereby suction is exerted upon said su ply conduit during andinlet valveat the lower end of said cham-- her and normally submerged. in the liquid in said bellows, said supply chamber constructed' and arranged to contain air'in the upper yportion thereof and a column of liquid between said air and said valve, and

a supply conduit communicating with said chamber.

3. In a liquid pumping system, a reciproeating pumping means, a supply conduit connecting said means to a reservoir, a chamber positioned above said means and adapted to contain air in the upper portion thereof, said supply conduit communicating with said chamber, an intake valve adapted to discharge liquid from said chamber to said pumping means, said partsconstructed and arranged to maintain a column of liquid between said valve and the air in said chamber whereby approximately continuous flow of liquid maybe maintained through said conduit due to sub-atmospheric'pressure in said chamber while intermittent discharge 'said contacts relatively to the other, said of liquid from said olumn takes .place through said valve during the operation of said pumping means without sudden stop: page of flow through said conduit upon closure of the valve;

In a devicefor pumping fluids, a pumping means, areciprocating member arranged to actuate said means, a moored reciprocating. member" carrying electrical contact means adapted to control the action of said first member, and means for producing a magnetic fieid, both of said members arranged to be field.

actuated magnetically in said- 5. In a device for pumping fluids, a

pumping means, a reciprocating member arranged to actuate saidmeans, electrical contact means arranged to control the actuation of said member, a second reciprocating member adapted to actuate said contact means, and means for producing a magnetic field, both of said members arranged to be actuated magnetically insaid field.

6. In a" device for pumping fluids, an

expansible chamber having a movable wall, an electromagnet, an armature therefor arranged to actuate said movable wall, elec-' tric contacts adapted to control the action of said magnet, and magnetically actuated means for retaining said contacts in engagement during a predetermined portion of the.

travelof said armature toward said magnet, said armature being arranged to cause separation of said contacts.

"if .1 In a device for pumping fluids, a pumping means, an electromagnet, an armature therefor arranged to actuate said pumpmeans, contacts for supplying current to said electromagnet, a reciprocating member arranged to cause movement of one of said contacts, said member being subjected to magnetic influence to hold the contacts closed during a predetermined travel of said armature.

' 8. In a device for pumping fluids,

pumping means, an electromagnet, an arma ture therefor arranged to actuate said pumping means, contacts for supplying current to said electromagnet, and a reciprocating member arranged to cause movement of one of said contacts, said member being arranged to be influenced by the magnetic field'of saidelectromagnet so as to hold the contacts closed during a predetermined travel of the said armature.

9. Structure as setforth in claim 8, the

reciprocating member comprising a mag I netic body and a spring upon which one of said contacts is supported,

10. In a device for pumping fluids, a-

pumping means, an electromagnet, an armature therefor arranged to actuate said pumpmg means, contacts for supplying current to said electromagnet, a reciprocating member arranged to cause movement of one of member being positioned in part within the core of the electromagnet and adapted to be moved toward the armature by the influence of the magnetic field of said electromagnet.

11. 'A pump comprising an expansible contacts for applying current to actuate said electromagnet, and another armature resiliently related to the first and having a magnetic portion projecting into the hollow core and into an air gap between the armature and core, one of-said contacts being acted upon by said spring and magnets in controlling and actuating the pump. j

12. In a device for pumping fluids, a pumping means, an electromagnet, an armature therefor arranged to actuate said pumping means, contacts for applying current to said magnet, a reciprocating member, subject to magnetic influence and associated with one ofosaid contacts, arranged in resilient relation to said armature in such manner that the resilient element is increasingly stressed by the normal action of said armature and said reciprocating member under the influence of the magnetic field of said magnet.

13. A pump co prising an expansible chamber having a ovable wall, an electromagnet, an armature therefor connected to said movablewall to actuate the same, contacts for controlling supply of current to said magnet, spring means for supporting one of said contacts, a reciprocating body associated with said spring means and magnetically influenced to stress said spring means in a direction to hold said contacts closed, the parts being so arranged that the spring means is stressed by movement of the armature in a" direction to separate the contacts andthereby effect a quick break.

14. A pump comprising a bellows member, an electromagnet, an armature pivotally supported in position to be actuated by said magnet, means connecting said armature to vone-wall of said bellows member whereby the pivotal movement of said armature causes reciprocating movement of said bellows, and means for supplying fluid to said bellows member and delivering 1 it therefl'Om. 15. A pump comprising an expansible chamber having a -movable wall, an electromagnet having a hollow core, an armature therefor connected to said movable wall, and a spring within said core adapted to move said armature and wall away from said magnet. 16. In a pump mechanism, an e'xpansible chamber having a movable wall, an electromagnet, an armature therefor connected to said movable wall, an electric circuit arranged to supply energy to said electromagnet, and contactsin said circuit, one of said contacts being movably supported upon said armature.

17. A pump comprising an expansible chamber, an electromagnet, an armature for said magnet connected to said chamber and operative to expand the same under the influence of the magnet, spring means opera tive to cause contraction of the chamber, contacts for controlling supply of current to said magnet, one of .said contacts being resiliently supported, and a magnetic body arranged to move toward said armature under the influence of the magnet and operative to stress said resilient support to hold said contacts in engagement during the expansion stroke of'saidchamber,

18. A pump, comprising-an expansible chamber, an electromagnet, an'armature for said magnet connected to said chambefa nd operative to expand the same under the fit fluence of the magnet, spring means operative to cause contraction of the chamber, contacts for controlling supply of current to said magnet, and a magnetic body adapted to move, one of said contacts relatively to the other, said body positioned to be'moved away from the electromagnet and toward .the armature and in a direction to hold the contacts in engagement under the influence of said magnet, the armature being: arranged to actuate the said body and thereby separate the contacts after a predetermined expansion of said chamber.

19. A pump comprising an expansible chamber having a movable wall, an electromagnet having a hollow core, an armature for said magnet arranged to actuate said wall in one direction, a spring positioned in said hollow core arranged to actuate the armature and wall in the other direction, a

JOHN M. LEA. 

